What next?

Back for just over a week, its warm, sunny and breezy and I already have itchy sea legs. However I need to do some maintenance that I would rather not do during the winter, particularly some varnishing and to finish off repairs, mainly replacing the engine inlet water hoses. Update: this did not go well with a sea cock failing catastrophically and an emergency repaint suddenly being required; described in a series of posts starting with "Near disaster on the Hamble".

So, a departure late July or early August seems to be optimal and I have fixed on the Friday August 5th which will allow me to take part in the RAFYC rally to the Folly Inn on the Medina over the weekend and leave for the west country with good tides for the first few days on the Sunday morning.

Click here to jump to day one avoiding the pre-amble.

With likely weather in late September and October that really does not leave enough time to get back to the Scottish Islands. 

Pippen in Alderney May 2019, my pic
previously printed in YM and elsewhere.

With the time taken to get to the boat, prepared for sea, and limitations getting on and off the mooring single handed (explained a couple of posts back here) etc., I prefer to stay out for weeks rather than days so where? 

I really wanted to go to Southern Britany for the first time in years but having checked on the post Brexit procedures for entering France - which are a shambles and likely to remain so for some time with limited entry ports, much uncertainty about equipment rules and the need to search out customs etc. on arrival which would be tricky with having no French, I decided against that. 

Another trip to the Channel Isles is overdue (and young John, Jester sailor, would like me to take a look at the stink boat he has replaced Pippin with, more to the point he knows the best places to eat which is an incentive to go) but I don't want to do that during the school holidays when everywhere will be very busy. 

The Scillies and major attractions are likely to be crowded in August but if I keep to the less popular or larger anchorages shouldn't be too stressful if the weather is reasonable but would not take a month unless legs are kept very short.

So, the plan is to head west, visit the Isles of Scilly then, if the weather co-operates, hop across to Ireland direct or via Milford Haven then cruise the SE coast for a week or two covering the area between Baltimore and Carnsore point. Next year I plan do the Jester Challenge to Baltimore then head north towards St Kilda for a third attempt, west of Ireland taking my time if the weather is helpful or rushing up the east coast if it is not, either way I'll not be staying along this piece of coast which I have not seen, except for Baltimore during the 2019 JBC.

Jester Sailors in Baltimore, 2019. Including three A9m sailors
and one A24 sailor

Then I plan to head back east, probably via the Scillies as far as the Salcombe / Dartmouth area and head for Guernsey from there returning at the end of September or early October, possibly in time for a RAFYC rally to the RYS on the 1st October.

Click here to follow the thread.